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If I am being completely honest our team would not consider me the most creative person. When a ‘creative’ needs to be produced someone else on the team is doing it. Specifically, as it pertains to graphics. My creativity doesn’t flow through pictures or vision. Even to the point that my husband does most of our decorating 😉

But… that doesn’t mean I am not creative. I am just creative in a different way. Such as I created this I AM Series… I like words over pictures. I love to create when I have the opportunity to share my experience and teach someone something that will help them avoid mistakes or get to their result shorter time frame.

I feel most creative when I am problem-solving. As an OBM we spend a lot of time problem-solving! We are exploring new systems, fixing broken processes, developing new structures… we have to get creative at times. If you have ever tried to piece-meal all the parts of a WordPress site with all the variations of bells and whistles a client wants you know what it is to be creative in the problem-solving arena.

Being creative (or at least my version of it) lets me get out of the box a little…

Most the time I am trying to stay in the box (and keep everything else in the box too… after all it’s a lot easier to manage when it’s in the box), but sometimes I have an itch to break free of the box and just do something a little different. Get out of maintain mode and explore something new. This is where being creative comes in for me.

Learning a new technology is creative. I get this isn’t overly creative to super ‘creative’ folks… but those of us who are linear in our thinking and really like our straight lines and super processed tasks… a new tech can truly be a walk on the creative side for us..

Leading my team requires creativity. After all, I have to connect with each one based on their strengths and what will essentially serve them in the highest to ensure they are empowered to do great work. This takes getting creative all the time. Especially if the team member is the client and we don’t think/see eye to eye on things.

We have some brilliant, talented and super creative OBM’s in our community who can do everything from design to copywriting to construction… but I don’t know that you always see yourselves as creative. I just wanted to give you permission too. Sometimes we are just as creative (or more so) then the super creative clients we serve. But know this… you, my OBM friend, are a creative genius!

As a leader, there is really not a truer statement… but as an OBM we have to be purposeful to ensure we are inspecting our team’s execution and performance.

Working with virtual professionals creates a different dynamic as it pertains to ensuring things are getting done and being done properly. Most team members come to the table with a predisposed way they want to execute specific tasks and as they are contractors and experts in their own right we have to give them the lead way to this. However, that does not mean we do not inspect their work.

To be honest, it’s easier to just simply have an expectation and hope that everyone works like us and will exceed expectations without much nurture or time being spent on them. But that is not the reality in many cases. So it is vital that we take on the role of inspector as it pertains to the businesses we lead.

A few things to be inspecting on a regular basis:

Are processes being updated – if there is not a standing agreement with the team that when a process changes that an update is made, there should be. So get that in place then be certain you are inspecting those processes are being updated as needed

Is customer service following all the small tasks needed to fulfil the desired outcome? Often customer service tasks are very small admin related elements that may or may not be being checked on a regular basis and because of that, they can end up with pieces being skipped…. This might not be much of a deal if it happens once or twice but if it happens over a course of time you may end up missing key data that simply needed to be entered into specific areas for the customer service recording.

Is Metrics being collected… if metrics isn’t a part of the business ensure that it is. But from there, an admin team member should be able to go through all the systems and collect the data. Often this data is not the current fire on the team’s plate so you want to ensure they take seriously circling back around to it when there is time to ensure the proper data is being collected for when it is needed.

That processes are being executed as they written… this happens to us all. The more familiar we become with a process the less we feel the need to open the documentation.. after a little while though small elements can get skipped or deemed unnecessary by a team member who doesn’t have the big picture and then you are losing a piece of your process. That is really frustrating because it will inevitably lead to a mistake (after all the process is written that way for a reason) and then you have to have the undesirable conversation of ‘why are you not following the processes. No one enjoys those convos with team members.

So I encourage you to take my husband’s advice and be proactive in the inspecting because you may not always get what you are expecting!

Can I just start by saying confidence is not arrogance? I feel like there is such a negative vibe around being confident. When you think of confident people do you automatically think of the most arrogant person you know? Confidence is not what you are doing (or saying) but who you are being.

Let me explain.

As an OBM I face things every day, problems, expectations, mistakes that I am not always certain exactly how to fix. But what I do know is because of who I am… because I am responsible, dependable and take ownership of my role… that somehow I will find an answer, solve the problem or fix the mistake. I am confident, I will make it happen!

Does that make me cocky? Arrogant? Prideful?

I don’t think so, I think it makes me caring, determined, a bit of a fighter and trustworthy!

Having coached OBM’s now for about 3 years I can tell you the #1 element that separates those who are working with clients they love making the money they want to be making is CONFIDENCE!

Signs you need to work on your confidence level as an OBM:

Undercharging clients!

Not pursuing prospects because you don’t feel like you ‘know’ enough to move forward

Fear of new projects or software

Needing validation from everyone else (clients, peers, spouse)

Indecision around any area of your life

Tolerating experiences you don’t desire to have

Work with clients who are not ideal

Allowing clients to disrespect you

If you just thought… yep, that’s me! And you are working as an OBM we need to talk 😉

I am a muse of confidence, at least, that is what many of our clients tell me. Often I will have a coaching call and someone will say ‘I just had to channel Tiffany to have this conversation with my client.’ Which is awesome! Because you know what is happening in that moment that person is getting what they really want.

Confidence gives you what you really want. But only if you are willing to ask for it, expect it or demand it. More often than not we don’t. We settle for whatever is offered because we have been taught to ‘not rock the boat’. Maybe we believe we are not worth it or have been made to feel like we have little value, are not smart or are incompetent. I know of business owners who try and control their team with this type of interaction… the sad thing is that the team allows it because they are not confident they can, get another client, pay their bills, etc… without this client. I get it… but I want to say: GET WHAT YOU WANT!

Stop settling, step into the brilliant, dedicated, asset that you are to a business owner! Be confident of your value!

For years I wouldn’t send back a meal that was improperly cooked at a restaurant… I would just eat it. I didn’t want to put anyone out, make people have to wait on me if my food was later than theirs, or get the waiter/waitress in trouble, I would just eat whatever was served me. I can assure you that is no longer the reality. I am not rude (and quite detest when I see someone being rude, simply because a mistake was made over a meal…) but I am only going to eat the steak I am paying for the way I WANT IT.

Pretty much that is my philosophy on everything… why not have it my way!

I know what you are thinking… geez I didn’t know Tiffany was that arrogant. LOL

If you get to know me you will learn I am confident not because of what I do but because I believe in who I am. I am caring and giving, I am loyal to a fault, I will always go above and beyond when it is needed, I will forgive quickly, share unconditionally and admit my mistakes with humility. I am confident in me because I quite like who I am… I like my character and my values and I live by both daily to ensure I hold to the standard of integrity I believe is simply right as a human being.

So if you need to borrow my confidence this week… feel free! I bet, if you look a little harder you will find you really like yourself too and you have a lot to be confident about! So go out there and have it your way!!

EVERYTHING in the online business world revolves around having a solid planned out strategy. Of course, we like to say the Online Business Manager is where strategy meets implementation! So with that in mind, it’s only natural one of the key attributes of being an OBM is strategy.

Strategy, as it pertains to the OBM (or virtual support professional in general) is not about WHAT is next for the business. That is for the business owner (hopefully with a skilled coach) to decide. It is all about the HOW that what will be created.

How will you, the OBM make it happen… what are the steps, best course of action, proven processes and established formulas to seeing the result come to pass?

The reality though, is that not every person has a natural gift toward strategy. For some, it is a strength and comes super easy for them… for others, they don’t see all the pieces the same way. This is one of the reasons I love our Online Business Manager Certification Training so much. Because throughout the entire training all the strategies for leading, growing and managing an online business are laid out for you!

What strategies are key for an OBM to master?

Communication: It is a key strategy because if you cannot effectively communicate both with client and team you will not have a successful experience in ensuring all the pieces are coming together. Clarity, in communication, is a golden tool in the hands of an OBM. If you really want your team to love you, ensure they have everything they need to be successful when they sit down to perform a task. A lack of solid communication will lead to wasted time, the wrong work being done or it not being done correctly.

Workflow: every project needs a clear and executable plan of action. This takes a precise strategy of understanding what comes when in each project, how long it takes and who is going to successfully implement it. As OBM’s we are looking for the most efficient way to accomplish any task and to ensure we are keeping an eye on the budget and/or hourly rates for the team.

Marketing: this is the one folks don’t like for me to throw in the hat for the OBM so I want to clarify it a bit. Online business is marketing, plain and simple. If you do not market you do not gain prospects, without prospects you do not sell, without sales you do not have a business. So with that in mind, a marketing strategy is a continual effort to be put forth by a business owner and OBM. However, it is the business owner’s responsibility to really have a clear vision of their marketing plan and the OBM is there to create the strategy around how to execute it 😉

Process Creation – online business move at lightning speed. Things do not take years or even months to get in place often an idea can go from conception to creation in the matter of a few hours. So the prospect of keeping processes up to date in the business is an ongoing strategy of both awareness and discipline. Not a glorified strategy but one that will save your butt if you ever have a team member leave and need to do a quick recruit and get the next person plugged in.

The thing to remember about strategy is that what you are really looking for is the most streamlined effort for a maximized result. If you can get the habit of seeking that out for all initiatives you will become a master strategist before long 😉

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Don’t forget I would love to connect with your organizational tips and tricks as you serve your clients… feel free to leave a comment here: http://www.facebook.com/iaobm

Want to find out more about becoming an Online Business Manager? Check out the Certified OBM Training program here: http://www.CertifiedOBM.com

Have you ever considered how much time gets wasted in searching for stuff? If you have ever started with a new client who was less than ‘tidy’ in the management of their files and ops, you know exactly what I mean (and if you are a virtual support professional, I dare say you know it all too well!).

How annoying is this experience? You are trying to hop in to support a business that is already going full speed, and yet there is no rhyme or reason to the flow of where things are or can be found.

A lack of organization creates a serious waste of time, energy and quite frankly, my good mood!

The online business manager is there to create calm in the chaos… what does that really mean? It means being organized. It means being purposeful, setting up recurring systems and uniformity across the operations to ensure it all makes sense.

The truth is: this is HARD! There are so many moving pieces on any given day… If you are working in a business that has multiple team members, you have multiple ways of getting things done. It can be a little like herding cats, trying to keep a multi-6 or 7 figure business truly organized.

Yes, it is a challenge, but one that all OBM’s must accept and commit to overcoming.

Here are my 3 Tips on Getting Organized (and staying that way)

You must first organize YOU 😉 – if I get disorganized, it throws everything off – processes, team and agenda. For personal organization I follow these 3 RULES:

Is it in the PM tool (for me that is Teamwork) – if it is not in the tool, there is a good chance it will be missed, dropped or left incomplete.

Is it on my daily list – if you are like me and are working on multiple projects, it can be overwhelming to look at hundreds of tasks a day in my PM tool. So I create a ‘Daily List’ with a notebook beside my computer. I use a highlighter to verify priority that day and what has been accomplished.

Is it on the calendar – if it is not on my calendar, it will not get done, plain and simple. I have to schedule out project time, writing time and play time or I will be sucked into the reactive vacuum, which essentially robs me of being proactive and organized!

Assess the disorganization regularly – it does not matter how purposeful you are to stay organized, the reality is disorganization creeps in. Hence the reason most folks have to clean out drawers and closets at least twice a year 😉 At least once a quarter go through processes and current tasks to ensure that things are where they are supposed to be… nothing is being missed or has been left untidy!

Determine the Messers – (Tiffany talk – a messer is the person who makes the mess 😉 it might be the client, it might be a team member, it might be you. If things are getting messier than desired, it might be you have a messer in your mix ;-). I have a 17-year-old daughter and truth be told, in our house, she can easily be the messer. I always know which room she has been in because something was left undone when she left it! LOL (she is also the best cleaner in the house, so we just send her right back into the room to tidy it up). That is exactly what you need to do when you find the messer! Do not fix it for them; send them back to clean up after themselves!

When it is all said and done, being super-organized can be a thankless job. It is a bit like when folks are raised in a really clean house, they do not truly appreciate what the mom or dad did until they get out on their own and they have to do the cleaning to keep it at that level of expectation. You may not be greatly appreciated for this level of organization in the midst of a crazy fast chaotic environment, BUT you will enjoy the reward of feeling as though it is all management under your expert eye because of the efforts in organization!

Leadership is a bit of a loaded word. Often when we talk about leadership, we are talking about the person every one ‘sees’. Because of that, Online Business Managers do not always associate ourselves with being leaders. After all, we are the behind-the-scenes folks and we like it that way… the wind beneath the wing of a brilliant leader, if I may 😉

I would like to reframe leadership as it pertains to the OBM. There are 3 characteristics of a leader:

Vision – a leader needs to be able to see or commit to a vision to the level of committing to see it produced or materialized.

Influence – it requires influence to ensure you have the authority to compel others to fulfil their roles in serving the vision. If you cannot influence, you cannot lead.

Servanthood – a true leader has a servant’s heart toward those he/she leads; the desire to ensure they have everything they need to be successful.

How do these 3 characteristics pertain to being an OBM?

Essentially as the OBM, it is our role to ensure the vision is being pressed forward. Even if we do not cast the vision overall, we often cast the short-term or project vision and ensuring it stays in alignment with the bigger long-term vision. We see the endgame and arrange all the parts to ensure they are moving in the direction of that desired outcome. I consider the OBM to be the container of the vision, entrusted with the privileged of ensuring everything is working toward its outcome.

To be honest, I am not great at setting the big picture or vision. It is not my strength, but once I have that vision in mind, I am clear on the tasks and the execution it takes to produce it. That is the role of the OBM.

Influence is a funny thing. We often think only the folks who are on stage or have their name in lights are the ones with influence. However, influence is most powerful on a personal level. Your ability to empower your team and the contractors you work with to ensure the project is being done correctly is the power of influence at work. We have influence in all areas of our lives, but we may not always take ownership of our ability to lead those we influence. As OBM’s, we need to make this a priority and develop this skillset even greater, to ensure we are becoming strong centers of influence.

Lastly, and most importantly as an OBM, embracing a servant’s heart will always serve you. Ultimately we are here to serve the client, the business, the vision AND the team. As a leader of your team, your first priority should be to serve them at the highest level, to ensure they have everything they need to be successful. When you shift your mindset to stand behind them and encourage them toward the best version of themselves, you ensure they get what they need to be successful in the role. You begin to truly serve them as the leader that you are!

If you are an OBM, you are a leader! Lead well, with purpose and integrity my friend 😉